121. Why Documentation Feels Impossible (and What to Do About It)

If the word documentation makes your eye twitch, you’re not alone.
In this episode, I unpack why staying caught up on notes, IEPs, and reports feels so hard—especially for those of us with ADHD—and what you can actually do about it. This isn’t about shame or hustle; it’s about understanding your brain, working with it, and ditching the “perfect system” that never lasts longer than a week.

What You’ll Learn

• Why documentation drains your energy (it’s not just about time).
• How executive functioning skills like initiation and prioritization impact your ability to get started.
• The sneaky trap of “productive procrastination” and how to spot it.
• ADHD-friendly strategies to make documentation simpler, faster, and more forgiving.
• The mindset shift that turns documentation from a stressor into a manageable routine.

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Learn more about Theresa Harp Coaching here.

Transcript

Speaker: 0:27

Hey SLPs, welcome back to the show. This is episode 1 21. I am here in October of 2025, which is a DHD Awareness Month. So I am in a four-part series on the podcast about. A DHD and productivity tips for the neurodivergent brain. But if you are listening to this and you don't have doc, uh, don't have a DHD, it's okay. Stay with me because this episode is still for you. In fact, what I want you to do is ask yourself this question, have I ever had a situation where my documentation was not? Up to date, whether it's session notes, soap notes, ED plans, IEPs, goals, evaluation reports like you. You know, you name, you name it. But if you have ever had a situation where your documentation is not up to date, you are not alone. Okay? If the words. If the word documentation makes you twinge and twitch and stress, you're not alone. Okay. And what I wanna talk about today is why documentation feels like it's pulling teeth. Okay? And I wanna give you some, some suggestions or some some reasons why that maybe you haven't considered. I think we could all rattle off a bunch of reasons why. Are like the frequent flyers, but I want you to think about this through an A DHD lens and then of course, more importantly, what we can actually do about it. Okay? So here is the thing. A DHD and documentation are not friends. Okay? When it comes to documentation, responsibilities, and requirements for those of us who are clinicians, and when it comes to all of the executive functioning skills that have to happen in order for documentation to get done, that is it. It is no wonder that we struggle. Okay? Because think about it like this, executive dysfunction, um, timeliness is part of that. Right. Task initiation is part of that organization. Is part of that planning, is part of that prioritizing is part of that. All of these things are part of the executive functioning system, and when we have executive dysfunction, when the executive functioning system is breaking down or it's not optimal. We will feel the impact. We might see this as overwhelm, as stress, anxiety. It could be procrastination. It could be analysis paralysis, but we all feel it in many different ways at many different times, and we don't want. It to feel that way. So the good news is that it's not necessarily an indication that there's something wrong with you. This isn't about you being broken or your brain being broken. In fact, it isn't even about, sorry to say, in many cases, our system or field. Speech pathology being broken. Now, are there things that we could do to improve it? Yes. Are there things that could be different that would make it easier? Yes, but we also want to be able to take action from this place of our current reality if we are spending time and energy trying to solve for the way that we wish that things were. It's a waste of energy and time. So we're gonna talk through what we can do about this. Okay, so here's what I want you to know. If you are behind, it doesn't mean that you're bad at your job. It means that we need to look at some things that maybe we haven't looked at before. And in today's episode, one of those things that we're looking at is executive functioning. Okay? So here are some of the sort of mistakes that I see. SLPs make, okay. Now, I as a coach am meant to be as unbiased and and neutral as possible. So maybe I'm thinking of these more so as mistakes from when I was practicing as an SLP, and these are mistakes that I have made, but these are things that get in the way. Of completing documentation. Let me put it like that. Okay. Copying and pasting systems that we see other SLPs using or that we see on Instagram highlight reels or Pinterest or wherever. Okay. We see these beautiful color coded spreadsheets and charts and file systems, and we are like, oh, well yeah, that's exactly what I want, so I'm gonna do that. But nine times outta 10, those systems are not designed for the way that your brain operates, and nine and a half times outta 10, those systems lose their shininess faster than you can say, where the heck did I save said system? And you're trying to find it. Okay, so let's not go there. Let's try from within. Okay? Let's try to find solutions and create solutions from within. Here's another mistake that I see. Over designing or over systematizing things that are not necessary that will never get used. I do this all the time. I call it productive procrastination. It is where my brain starts to take action, telling me that it's useful, it's creating a system, it's creating a checklist, it's creating blah, blah, blah, all this stuff, right? That I. In my mind, I'm telling myself that this is going to help me get the job done faster and with less effort. However, most of the time it is actually just keeping me from starting the task. So if you are getting stuck in productive procrastination or progressivity, if this is you. It doesn't necessarily mean that we're eliminating this from happening. We just wanna know that it happens and we wanna be watchful for it so that when it does happen, we can catch it and be really honest with ourselves and pivot. Okay. And then also don't assume that more structure, more rigidity, more planning. Will lead to better results. That is not the case. Not always, usually not. Okay, so here are some questions that you can ask yourself to catch when this is happening and to help you identify when you're falling into this trap. Number one is what I'm doing right now. Is this too complicated? For me to use when I'm in a rush, when I'm tired. When I'm low energy, like is this quote unquote system I'm creating too complicated for me? Is it only gonna work on a unicorn day, like a day where everything goes according to plan, or is it also gonna work on a day where nothing goes according to plan? Because quite frankly, that's to me, the sign of a strong system is a system that can work and operate when the circumstances are atypical, when shit is hitting the fan, basically. Okay. Also, you can ask yourself, is this. Obvious. Is it visible? Is it easy to start? Is it friction free? I don't know about you, but how many times have you sort of created a system, like worked on something that you were working on it, but you had your doubts. You were sort of like, oh, I don't know. I don't know if this is really, I think this is making this like a bigger problem. Right? That's those are warning signs. Those are signals. So we need to pay attention to that. Okay. You don't need a pretty complex, beautiful, organized system. You just need a system that is forgiving and simple and gets you into action. Because again, if you didn't listen to last week's podcast episode, it was about, uh, the executive functioning skills that are involved with tasks that we do. So if you want a little brush up on what those skills are, just a refresher of how they fit in in our everyday life. But you, um, want a little refresher on that. You can go back to last week's episode, but. When we think about writing a report or writing a session note, there are so many, again, like I said, so many executive functioning skills that are at play here, and I rattled a few of them off at the beginning of the episode. But I just want you to remind, I wanna remind you, I wanna keep these top of mind as we are talking through this episode so that you're really understanding the connection between executive functioning and documentation. Okay? So. Think about it this way, initiating the task, like sitting down and actually starting the task. Um, you can also think about this as prioritization. When you have five reports to write, how do you know which one to start with? How do you prioritize? There's also task persistence, so staying on task with something and persisting when. Even when it gets boring, it gets hard, it gets uncomfortable. There's cognitive flexibility when things don't go according to plan. You start working on this report and the template that you thought you had is not actually on this computer. Well, what are you gonna do about it? Does that mean you give up, you can't do it at all? Or is there an opportunity for cognitive flexibility here where you can make a different decision? Do something else with it to still get it done. Right. So those are just a few that I'm rattling off, executive functioning skills that are coming to play. But again, just bringing them top of mind for you and go back and listen to that episode from last week. If you want to think about. Hear about all of the other executive functioning skills that can be getting in the way. This is not coming from a place of gloom and doom by the way. This is coming from a place of, hey, we're getting clarity on what's actually going on so that we can solve for it so that we're not solving for the wrong problem. Maybe we're solving all along, we're solving for this problem, thinking that we can't do documentation because we don't have enough time in our schedule. Well, it's way more than that. Maybe we've been trying to solve for, um, a caseload that we think is too high, too heavy. That may be true. However, there are other ways that we can solve for this, okay? So keep that in mind. All right? So I'm gonna give you a few different, I'll call them a DHD, friendly strategies for documentation, okay? And this is for the present. You like the you who is tired or the you who is stressed, the you who is overwhelmed. Okay. This is not for those unicorn days. I mean you could use them on unicorn days and great, but like. We don't wanna wait for that. We don't wanna wait for those opportunities. We want to notice the opportunities to get started and we want to seize them. So, micro action, microbursts of action. So many of you, and I mean this from such a loving place, but so many of you are thinking about this through an all or nothing lens. I can either write this report or I can't. But if I can't do this entire report at once, why am I gonna start? If I don't have two hours open to write this report and get it done, why should I bother starting? Right? Come on. You know, you've thought some version of that at some point. If you keep waiting for the best or right time to get it done, you will never get it done. You will never be up to date. So stop waiting for that and start taking advantage of microbursts of action. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Do one note and that's it. Get it done. Just start. Okay. I also want you to think about what tools can I use that that need the least amount of energy from me? So like what's the lowest cognitive load? Or how can I approach this from the place of the lowest cognitive load? So for me, I'm a verbal processor. I process my information by talking through it also, sometimes by writing it, but mostly by talking through it. So voice memos, voice notes, or voice dictation. Those are my friend. They're an easy way for me to get started on a task that I'm avoiding. Bullet points, give me bullet points all the way. If you give me a written handout that has too much information in my mind, it's too much information. On paper, I'll tune it out and it might have the best, most important, helpful info ever, but I'm not going to utilize it because my brain will shut down. So for me, bullet points, why do I have to write in a way? Like why not write in bullet points if I know that I read information best When it is brief and outlined with bullet points, why not write my information that way? Then if I need to make it into narrative form from there I can, but at least I've got a starting point. Right. Okay. Other sort of strategies that you can take, right? Um, would be looking at what is the lowest point of entry. Like, what is the lowest point of entry that I need that I can take? Right? What's the lowest point of entry for me to just get started Now? I said, you know, start the micro verse, do 10 minutes. But even so, even if you have five minutes and you don't think you can write the whole note, can you take five minutes and give the highlights of the note so that you have a something to start with? Okay. Also, you can think about how to, how can I say this? You can think about how you process information, and if you are somebody who tends to overcomplicate things, know that about yourself and. Be aware of it and check in with yourself. Am I making this into a bigger deal than it needs to be? Am I making this bigger than it actually is? Okay. A couple of other ideas that I have for you. I mentioned voice memos, right? You can use different tools like. Script or Otter or even just like voice dictation in Google Docs to help you transcribe information. Okay? Some of these, almost all of these have free level options, and then some of them have some paid versions as well. Chat, GPTI use chat GBT for everything, not everything, but I use it quite a lot and this is, in my opinion, a great way for you to save time in when it comes to session notes. When it's done the right way, when it's done certain ways. I'm not gonna get into that'cause that's not the purpose of this episode, but just keep that resource in mind as well. Okay. And then if you can get into some sort of a rhythm, some sort of a rhythm of when you can do these tasks, when you can write these notes, even if it is. Thinking outside the box a bit. So maybe at the end of a session, you just don't have the energy to sit down and write a session. Note. Let's say you, even if you have the time, even if you have the time built in, you don't have the energy to do it. What do you have the energy to do? Maybe three bullet points. Maybe a template where you just fill in the date and this the client's name so that you don't have blank page syndrome the next time you look at it. So thinking about the lowest point of entry and thinking about the way that you process information and how to get this information out in the simplest way possible. And if you are somebody who is a perfectionist, notice that challenge it. I've done lots of episodes on this topic before. If I. Can go back and find them. I will link to them, or at least name them in the show notes so that you have them. But I want you to really think about documentation from a place of executive functioning. Okay? It does not have to be this hard. Executive functioning skills are skills that we can strengthen and build. So if this gives you that permission to do so, and I hope that if nothing else, this episode gives you some, uh, gives, helps you give yourself some grace, helps you recognize that, you know, maybe it is. Not you who is the problem? I know that, but maybe you need to know that. Okay. Maybe it's not you. It's the way that your brain handles, interprets and creates information, produces information, and we just have to figure out what your sweet spots are. Okay? So if this is something that you want help with, let me know. This is exactly what we do in coaching. Book a call. We could get you up and running with a clear cut, super simple system that works for your brain, not the other way around. And usually it is like little, little tweaks, little mini tweaks that make a huge difference. Either way, I want you to pick one note or report that you have been avoiding. And I want you to take one strategy from this episode or one of the other episodes on executive functioning or on evaluation and report writing. Just try one thing. You can even send me a DM on Facebook when you do it, or you can send me a message or post in the SLP support group on Facebook so that we can celebrate with you. Alright, that's it for today's episode. Make sure you tune back in to next week's episode. I'm gonna be talking more about A DHD and how it shows up in our role as SLPs. All right, y'all. I'll see you then. Bye.